You might have noticed that there is almost always a critical voice in your head. You know the voice inside that says, "if you would just stop eating and exercise more, you would be happier?" And there is another voice in your head that says, "if that critical voice would just go away, I would feel a lot better about myself."

That is the voice of what is commonly referred to as the inner critic.

Embracing disempowerment is a way to create a healthier, more functional dynamic between important parts of ourselves. The inner critic's job is to advise you on how to be likable, fit the mold of a "good person" and avoid feeling bad. When this part takes over, we will feel pressured to live up to impossibly high standards. The critic is not interested in feeling disempowered. That is why highlighting your disempowerment removes the fuel from the critic's fire and inserts levity and acceptance in its place. 

It is our experience that the critic has the best of intentions for you. It wants you to excel, be likable and not feel bad. However, in the process of declaring all of the ways that we haven't lived up to its expectations, we can end up feeling bad about ourselves in the process.

inner critic - we wouldn't feel this way if you...

external judge - we wouldn't feel this way if they...